Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-12-24
fIfTIETH CONGRESS.
Interesting Debate In the Senate on
the Recess,
In Which the Republicans Open the Ball
On the Message.
SENATOR Plumb Incantiously Refers TO
the Treasury Surplus
And Is Reminded by Mr.. Beck How II
Came There.
Rnnublicaus Haunted With Their Com.
pact With Protectionists.

WASHINGTON, December 21.-In the Sen
alto to-day q resolution was offered anc
adopted. instructing the Committee or
Privileges AID Elections to inquire into tht
expediency of adoption by the Senate uo1
guidance of the executives OF several States,
of a form OF credentials OF the election o
United States Senator's.
Mr.. Morgan, from the Committee on
Foreign Relations, reported a resolution
directing the Secretary OF State to furnish
copies of all correspondence With the Mexi'
can Government since January 1886, re.
specting the We'll and La Abra claims, also
to state what amount has been paid by
Mexico under the convention for the ad.
iustment OF claims, the amount distri.
buted, the amount un~distributed and
reasons for withholding the same. Adopted.
Tho resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
Butler for the appointment OF q select
committee OF five to investigate the con-
dition OF the five civilized tribes OF Indians
WAS adopted.
Mr.. Allison called up the holiday recess
resolution and moved it's adoption.
Mr.. Plumb thought there was no reason
why Congress should adjourn for the holi-
days. He referred to the Hughes resolu-
ton that Congress should not adjourn I'M
til some disposition OF the treasury surplus
was made. and said he did not agree with
the Presidents statement that the respon
sibility Of non-action in the matter OF the
surplus would rest with Congress. The
To- ILL., o~~Jk.~- rf
the treasury rested with the President, who
him to spend the surplus in the purchase OF
the national debt. The President in his
omitted to state that the last
Congress passed a law requiring his affirma-
tive to pay $1O,OOO,O 600 d month in dis
charge of the public debt, and that the
President had put that bill in his
pocket. thus preventing it's becoming q law.
The Secretary of the Treasury to-day de-
posted $4O,O OO, 900 of alleged surplus
with The national banks to be loaned to
the people at such rates as their necessity
might compel them to pay. Bonds OF the
United States could be purchased at q rate
which would yield two and a half per cent.
and yet, insteal Of using part of the sur
plus for that purpose, it was given to the
national banks to be used for their profit.
l. lO l. ~ hkA I'JSoVNOh ShNo oiS '
and harbor bill, which appropriated $14,.
OOO, 900, had failed, not because OF any
lack OF action by Congress. The deficiency
bill, covering So, 900, 900, had also failed
session. because of the neglect OF the
majority in the House of
Representatives, and these two sums would
have made a very comfortable addition to
the current funds of the people, at this
|u~ncture. He (Plumb) never did agree
the Republican policy Of the Treasury
but that policy was not un-
der the suspicion OF being unduly influenced
by New York banks. just is fast as there
was a surplus OF $4,000, 900 in the Treas
lry under a Republican Administration, it
mad been put out in discharge OF the obi
OF the United States. 1t never had
been paid out after consultation with Off
GERS OF the New York banks. The troubl=
no eye for anything except what related to
the banking interest OF New York city. He
presumed the adjournment resolution
would pass, but he believed it would not
be with fair regard to public interests.
Mr.. Beck said such Il recess was usual,
snd he did not see why the Senate should
20 into a discussion of the President s |
policy when they had all next year before
But there were some things which |
been overlooked by the Senator from
II, had not told the country
hat the policy of the Republican party,
~ imposing and maintaining uBreasonably |
Ugh taxation. had produced the Treas
Iry surplus, and that the same party |
'as determined to hold it there
n to waste it in such schemes
IS the Republican party might desire. The
had not told the country that the |
republican party had so adjusted the debts |
i the United States hat they could not be
aid with the money thus brought by high
a~xation into the Treasury unless such
were paid to b~ondho!ders as they
1ight demand. The policy OF the RepubIi-
an party had postponed the payment of
$50, OOo, 900 Of the debt till 1891, and of
"a, O0O, 900 till 1907. The President had
aid every dollar Of 3 per cent. bonds that
ere payable without paying a pre-
which bondbolders might see 1T
. ask. The Democratic party, headed by
ne President, was e~ndeavoring to reduce
axes SO that SO large q surplus should
OF come into the Treasury. All that the
resident had said a hat it was not a
thing for the Secretary OF the
reasury to pay $13O or $3.50 for every
LOO OF the public debt and that it was
re duty OF Congress to reduce the taxation
the people to q point that there would
)t be q surplus.
MI. DoIph argued that if proper appro-
nations were made for rivers and harbors.
lbllc buildings. coast line Notifications
pensioners, encouragement of
nerlcan commerce, and for the Nicaragua
NAL there would be no surplus in the I
reasury, and he thought that such a s
'iicy was to be preferred to q reduction i
the tariff.
Vest said in reference to what he
lied Dolph's solicitude for building m
e American marine, that there was q bill
ndlng IN behalf OF the Red Star Line of ]
.anships from Philadelphia, a line owned {
.irely ny American citizens, giving it the 9
lvilege DISABLING sixteen stea lnships under .
g American flag, in order to carry f. tn "
'e'gn ports, and that not one Republican Il
nator would record his vote il favor oil
at bill. The Senator from Oregon, with
MS soHcitudef for the American merchant
erlne, would not vote for it, and whvo e
cause Republican Senators did not pro. 0
se TO MAKE a break in a solid comnact, II
lch they had made with the protected
lustr1es OF the country by tariff lapisla-
%. ihey feared lest a crevasse MIGHT
created in that long line of protected in J.,
stfles, which might result in a delu,e. Tn q
ponse to Plumb's criticism OF the i-resi. U
IL LOT vetolns the river and harbor hill &C
lenllhoed that Senator hat the most Re
attacks upon the bill had coms D
m himself (Plnmb). He bad fought the
ny sections. and in the aggregate had nf
;l it, denounced it and voted against to
o sh he resident had in his annual mes ve
e Sharply defined the issue between 4ho &C
great parties, and he (Vest) ndorseJ ga
. message from beginning to end. He hi
prepared to go into the canvass nav bu
' ,nd n whatever the result might be he. de.
d. do now publicly that if the President
;, he a proved himself to be- an 8.
!adership OF any party that ever esistny ga
ne history OF this country. we
r. ieller severely critised the President, HI
enoeavoring to create public alanm
IL 20 carry u a pet scheme for rednc.
.ne tarlif. He argued that there m"s 7
sd mncn surplus in the Treasury as H.
IS st hecessltate haste or cause alarm. va
+. " was aati,Gnd a n